1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of warning systems, and more particularly to a method and system for transmitting a warning message to a driver of a vehicle.
2. Brief Description of the Related Art
Currently emergency vehicles use loud sirens and flashing lights for alerting drivers from the outside of their vehicle. However, audio alerts from the outside are unreliable. Firstly, modern cars are built soundproof in order to substantially prevent outside noise from penetrating the car for driver and passenger comfort. Secondly, most modern cars have a built-in entertainment system typically comprising a radio, CD player and a DVD player. As a result, drivers are typically exposed to a noisy environment created inside the vehicle preventing the same from becoming aware of the outside audio alert from an approaching emergency vehicle.
There have been various attempts to overcome this problem. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,926,112 and 6,822,580 teach use of a flashing light or a warning tone generated inside the vehicle which is triggered by an approaching emergency vehicle. Further, U.S. Pat. No. 7,061,402 teaches use of the sound waves of the siren of an approaching emergency vehicle to trigger the generation of a warning tone within the vehicle and U.S. Pat. No. 7,663,504 teaches an emergency vehicle sending a signal which triggers playing of a generic message which is stored in the receiver and which can not be customized by an emergency department.
Unfortunately, these and other state of the art systems have shortcomings preventing the same from successful implementation. The state of the art systems can be triggered by other signals then signals transmitted from an emergency vehicle either accidentally or intentionally. Furthermore, the state of the art systems do not interrupt the current operation of the entertainment system to broadcast the warning signal or warning message. Yet further, the state of the art systems do not provide means for muting one transmitter in the presence of another potentially jamming the system in the presence of more than one emergency vehicle.
It is desirable to provide a method and system for transmitting a warning message to a driver of a vehicle that is reliable.
It is also desirable to provide a method and system for transmitting a warning message to a driver of a vehicle that temporarily interrupts a current operation of the entertainment system of the vehicle to broadcast the warning message and that broadcasts the warning message when the entertainment system is turned off.
It is also desirable to provide a method and system for transmitting a warning message to a driver of a vehicle that provides means for muting one transmitter in the presence of another.